This slow cooker southwest chicken and lentil chowder recipe is a family favorite! It’s loaded with protein and potassium, and is a good source of fiber. The season for slow cooking, soups, stews, and chowders is here! We’ve fired up our trusty Crock Pot almost everyday since the cool, crispness hit the air.

Few things top the joy of throwing ingredients together and letting them cook all day, while your house fills with mouth watering aromas. Arriving home tired and with a hungry belly suddenly turns to joy and relief knowing your dinner is already done.

A Balanced Meal

If the combination of these ingredients isn’t enticing enough, let’s go over some of the health benefits this power food recipe brings to your table!

Black beans

Black beans contain iron, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, copper, selenium, folate, and many other nutrients that aid in maintaining overall health. It’s amazing how nature crammed so much power into a tiny bean!

If you’re looking for another way to include these in your diet, try these black bean brownies!

Lentils

Despite being tinier than the black bean, lentils are just as mighty. These little legumes offer a lot of the same nutrients as the black bean, and they’re also a good source of riboflavin, potassium, and vitamin B6.

These are also my favorite bean to cook because they don’t require soaking. You can boil dried lentils right out of the bag, and add them to a variety of dishes, for a powerful nutrient boost. For example, try adding them to rice! Bonus: Lentils are also SUPER budget-friendly!

Onion

This tear-jerker has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties. Onions are rich in antioxidants and other compounds known to inhibit cancer.

Adding onions to recipes is a great way to boost your recipe’s flavor without adding a lot of calories and salt.

Salsa

Depending on the specific brand or ingredients you use to make your own recipe, salsa is an excellent source of vitamin C and several other disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. Tomatoes, onion, and peppers … oh my!

A note about cilantro: Not everyone likes this herb–fresh, dried, or cooked. You may be familiar with the explanation for the genetically triggered soapy taste, thanks to the virality of its travels on the web.

With 4-14% of the population tasting a mouthful of Dawn dish soap for anything containing even a hint of cilantro, it’s best to leave the leaf on the side for guests. If everyone in your family loves it then, by all means, add it to everything–it’s loaded with antioxidants and may help rid the body of heavy metals.

Consider topping this dish with a dollop of sour cream, a pinch of shredded cheddar, and a sprig of parsley instead of cilantro!

About Shelley

Mother of two (Adam, 17, and Chesney, 13), successfully divorced--we're really good friends. Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Benedictine University with a BS in nutrition science. I love food, fitness, reading, and all things science. I'm the sister that travels.

About Us

Two sisters, raised apart, now trying to adult together. We love to share ways to make life a little more magical! Email: jen@amagicalmess.com

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